Arson Attacks Against the Kusra and Kur Mosques in the West Bank (2026)

Arson attacks targeting the Kur and Kusra Mosques occurred on 26 July 2026 in occupied West Bank, carried out by Israeli settlers seizing Palestinian land. The attacks involved the separate arson of a mosque in the village of Kur, affiliated with Tulkerim, and the Rahmet Mosque (El-Rahma Mosque), under construction in the town of Kusra, near Nablus, both set ablaze on the same day. During the attacks, racist slogans and death threats against Palestinians were sprayed on the walls of both mosques. The incidents were announced by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA and condemned by the Palestinian Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs and Hamas. The attacks coincided with ongoing Israeli military raids, arrest operations, and the establishment of new illegal settlements across the West Bank.

^{Kusra köyünde bulunan ve saldırıya uğrayan El-Rahmah Camisi, 26 Temmuz 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, on 26 July, Israeli settlers seizing Palestinian land launched a raid on Kur village, located south of Tulkerim, and set fire to a mosque. The attack caused partial damage to the mosque’s structure and interior. Before entering the mosque, the attackers sprayed racist graffiti on its walls and then withdrew. Local residents extinguished the fire and prevented it from spreading.

^{Kusra köyünde bulunan ve saldırıya uğrayan El-Rahmah Camisi, 26 Temmuz 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

According to WAFA, several hours before the attack on Kur village, Israeli settlers seizing Palestinian land set fire to the El-Rahma Mosque, which was under construction in Kusra town, south of Nablus. Kusra Mayor Abdulazim Al-Wadi stated that the attack occurred just before dawn, and the arsonists burned construction materials and equipment, while also spray-painting racist and death-threat messages on the mosque’s walls.

Al-Wadi noted that he and other townspeople were gripped by fear and anxiety due to the attacks; he recalled that this was not the first time a mosque in Kusra had been targeted, as the Nurayn Mosque had also been burned in 2011, with similar racist and threatening messages painted on its walls.

Al-Wadi reported that the threatening messages included the phrase “The arson attacks will begin with mosques”; alongside references to an Israeli killed two days earlier during a clash in Tel village, the phrases “Revenge for Eliyahu” and “Bloody revenge” were also written.^【1】

^{Kusra köyünde bulunan ve saldırıya uğrayan El-Rahmah Camisi, 26 Temmuz 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Al-Wadi emphasized that attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank are increasing, stating: “Settler attacks continue. Constant raids are carried out against farmers and civilians in West Bank villages. Livestock is stolen, trees are uprooted, homes are burned, and vehicles are torched and destroyed. Violence is escalating. We feel profound fear and danger for the lives of our citizens living in Kusra.”^【2】

Witness Ahmed al-Bayq, who lives near the mosque, stated that around 3:00 a.m. on 26 July, he heard noises and went to his balcony, where he saw the mosque engulfed in flames. He initially thought the fire had broken out due to an accident, but later learned that it had been set on fire by Israeli settlers seizing Palestinian land. Al-Bayq said he alerted the mayor and townspeople, and due to the absence of a fire department in the area, they managed to extinguish the fire with their own limited means. Approximately half an hour later, Israeli soldiers arrived at the scene, conducted a brief inspection, and then left the area.

^{Kusra köyünde bulunan ve saldırıya uğrayan El-Rahmah Camisi, 26 Temmuz 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Al-Bayq noted that Kusra is surrounded by numerous illegal Israeli settlements, and that Palestinians living in the area live in constant fear of attacks day and night. He added: “This mosque is God’s house. It harms no one. People come here to worship. Just as people worship in churches, we worship in our own mosque. Israeli occupiers have previously stolen livestock and damaged agricultural land.”^【3】

Palestinian Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs condemned the attack on the mosque in Kur village as a “heinous crime”. The ministry stated that Israeli settlers, under the protection of the Israeli military, carried out 45 attacks on mosques across the West Bank in 2025.

In a separate statement, the ministry emphasized that targeting and burning mosques has moved beyond isolated incidents and has become systematic and planned actions aimed at erasing the presence and religious rights of Palestinians, carried out with the protection and complicity of Israeli forces. The statement stressed that these attacks violate international law and treaties guaranteeing freedom of worship and the protection of sacred sites, warning that the continuation of such violations will further escalate tensions in the region. The ministry urgently called on the international community and human rights organizations to act immediately to stop the attacks and ensure accountability for the perpetrators. It also urged Palestinians to remain vigilant and protect their mosques against similar assaults. The statement further highlighted that the attack on the mosque in Kur village occurred immediately after the arson of the mosque under construction in Kusra town.

^{Kusra köyünde bulunan ve saldırıya uğrayan El-Rahmah Camisi, 26 Temmuz 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi, in a written statement, described the burning of the two mosques in Nablus and Tulkerim as “an open violation of Islamic sanctities that cannot be ignored”. Mardawi noted that Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in Kur village, south of Tulkerim, and another mosque under construction in Kusra town, south of Nablus, in two separate attacks on the same day, calling the acts “an open assault that disregards all religious, moral, and humanitarian values”.

Mardawi stated that these attacks reveal the full extent of occupation, regression, and fascism exhibited by the Israelis. He called on the Palestinian people to defend their mosques and sacred sites, asserting that Palestinians will not tolerate such violations and will stand firm against them. Mardawi urged Islamic and Arab countries, as well as “free people around the world,” to adopt a firm stance against Israeli attacks on Islamic holy sites, to pursue the perpetrators of these attacks, and to hold Israeli officials accountable for inciting such crimes.

On 19 July 2026, a similar arson attack occurred in Tevane village, affiliated with Al-Khalil (Hebron). According to Tevane Village Council Chairman Muhammad Rubi, Israeli attackers from the illegal settlement of “Havat Maon” launched a raid on the village. Rubi stated that the attackers used incendiary materials to set fire to two homes belonging to Kemal Musa Rubi and Mahmud Selman Rubi, as well as the Tevane Mosque. The majority of the targeted structures were severely damaged by fire. Rubi emphasized that these attacks were carried out under the protection of Israeli forces, and that the attackers also damaged and destroyed Palestinian property, including a vehicle.

In its written statement regarding the Tevane attack, the Palestinian Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs stated that “the burning of one of God’s houses has dangerously escalated tensions and signifies the crossing of all red lines.” The ministry emphasized that the arson of the Tevane Mosque constitutes “a terrorist act carried out with the support of the occupying Israeli government in all its aspects”.^【5】 The statement further indicated that the extremist Israeli occupation government aims to forcibly displace Palestinians in Mesafir Yatta and turn the conflict into a religious war.

The ministry stressed that full responsibility for this crime and its dangerous repercussions lies with the Israeli government, noting that international silence in the face of such crimes encourages further attacks. The statement urgently called upon the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and international human rights organizations to intervene immediately, demanding that the Israeli authorities and Israeli settlers seizing Palestinian land be held accountable for their crimes and that international protection be extended to sacred sites belonging to Palestinians, Muslims, and Christians under constant threat.